A STRANGE STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 6273, 24 December 1881, Page 7

A STRANGE STORY.

A Marseilles paper, under the heading of "A Mysterious Grotto," relates the following story :—Several sportsmen in pursuit of game in Formentera, one of the Balearic Islands, suddenly came upon a deep excavation, the entrance to which was covered with bushes and undergrowth. They proceeded to explore it, and having with some difficulty removed several large stones, found themselves in a well-built chamber of Moorish design, the walls of which were ornamented with undecipherable characters. In the middle of the chamber were two tombs of admirable workmanship. On removing the metal covers by which they were closed the explorers discovered two colossal mummified bodies, one on the right being that of a young woman, the other that of a inati. On the head of the woman was a diadem set with stones, which, if genuine, are of inestimable value. Arouud her neck was a necklace of large pearls, two enormous earrings were attacked to her ears, and her fingers were covered with rings. On the head of the man was an imperial crown, and in his right hand he held a sceptre. Six of the discoverers remained to guard the treasure and the others left for Madrid to consult the authorities. The inhabitants are sail to have known of the cavern, but had never entered it, thinking it was only a resort of serpents.